Through the Eyes of a Child...

There is nothing more precious than a child.  Ryan's Heart knows how the loss of a parent can devastate a young child's life.  When Ryan died, he left three beautiful daughters behind.  One of our biggest challenges was trying to figure out how to help them grieve. 

Little Hearts

Children, especially very young children, grieve very differently from adults.  It is not unusual to see them acting out grief one minute, and then playing happily the next.

Little Hearts  was inspired by, created for,  and is dedicated to all  grieving children!

I MISS YOU  . 

Thank you Miley!! 

A tender song, written and performed by Miley Cyrus.  Little Hearts everywhere will be able to relate to her simple beautiful lyrics.

Little Hearts Albums!

As parents, we need to understand that this does not mean that they are "over it".  Children often "escape" into make-believe when they are presented with situations they cannot handle or may not understand.   This may contribute to why National research studies have stated that children are often dubbed "Forgotten Mourners".  Ryan's Heart has made it part of it's mission to help change that.

Take the time to sing with your child.  Music heals  the heart.

Helping Children Grieve

Children who are grieving the death of someone tend to feel emotion on many levels.   Take the time to  plan activities for children and teens which allow them to express their feelings. 

Below are some activities many support clinics and professionals suggest that can easily be done at home.

Grief Should Not Be Ignored

• Six out of 10 children experience a major death before they graduate high school.  Major deaths include grandparents, parents, siblings, relative and even pets.
• Approximately 1.5 million children will experience the death of one of their parents by the time they turn 18.
• At any given time there is an average of 2 students in a classroom grieving the death of a loved one.
• Unresolved grief can lead to social misbehavior and poor school performance.  If ignored, it can severely affect social relationships both as children grow and as they enter adult hood.

1.   Make a Scream Box

Cereal box, paper towel tube, paper, scissors, tape

Equipment:

• Stuff a cereal box with crumpled paper.
• Close the cereal box and cut a hole in the top for the paper towel tube.
• Tape the paper towl tube to the hole in the cereal box.
• Decorate the box however you like.
• Scream into the box!!!

Directions:

2.   Make a Mad Box

Equipment:

Box of any size, tape, paper

Directions:

• Fill the box with paper or pictures of things that make the child mad.  Pictures can be drawn or cut from magazines.  Use whatever works best for your child - let your child choose what goes into the box.
• Tape the box closed.
• Let your child use a plastic bat or have him jump up and down on the box until it is destroyed. 
• Recycle or discard of the remnants.

3.   Fly Like a Lion

Equipment:

Table, bean bags or cushions for soft landing, loud voices and supervision

Directions:

• Talk to your child about power and strength.  Discuss what powerful things and/or animals and what that means to them.
• Help your child climb onto the table and let them jump off onto a soft landing space.  Encourage them to jump like powerful animals and use load noises (like a lion).

Quieter Ways of Expressing Emotion

• READ! READ! READ! with your child.
• Draw pictures.
• Write poems.
• Keep a journal - Great for Teens!!
• Write letters to friends.
• Create a memory scrapbook.
• Make up and write down stories of your memories.
• Sit, talk or listen to music.  Music has been proven to be extremely therapuetic!  Don't forget to sing too!
• Say prayers for people.
• Send thank you cards to rescue workers or special people in your child's life.
• Create friendship bracelets and share them with your child's closest friends.  Let your child choose what color beads to use and have your child give each bead "a meaning".
• Balloon releases.  For more information see our Hearts for Heaven Page.

Let us publish your child's progress by sending us copies of thier activities!  Pictures, poems, photos, anything you like and we will post them here in our very own Little Hearts Albums!!

Grieving is hard work and it's exhausting - especially for children!  After all of their hard work, your child deserves to be recognized.

THEREFORE....

4.   Full listing of activities...

Remember me... for I am with you always...

   Just For Me!

 Healing Activities for

  Children and Teens